Download or read book Diamond Sutra Narratives written by Chiew Hui Ho and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2019-07-08 with total page 534 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Diamond Sutra Narratives, Chiew Hui Ho explores Diamond Sutra devotion and its impact on medieval Chinese religiosity, uncovering the complex social history of Tang lay Buddhism through the laity’s production of parasutraic narratives and texts.
Download or read book Tales of the Diamond Sutra written by Chiew Hui Ho and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Diamond Sutra is an important Mahāyāna sutra, which remains to this day one of the most influential Buddhist sutras in East Asia. Little is known about why it began to gain widespread popularity in the Tang even though it had been translated two centuries earlier. Extant records, however, indicate that a substantial body of narratives relating to it appeared, circulated, and were compiled in the Tang, reflecting the extent to which it featured in the lives of people in that period. This study of Diamond Sutra tales aims to shed light on the cult of the Diamond Sutra and the state of Buddhism in medieval China. By broadly contextualizing the sutra and its narratives within their socio-historical milieu, it discusses the ways it was engaged by monastics, how it was given recognition by members of the Tang monarchy, and how the interest of literati might have popularized it. I argue that these developments, when conceived within a web of human interactions, impacted people's knowledge of the sutra and prompted their increasing engagement with it, resulting in the multiplication of religious experiences related to it and the proliferation of Diamond Sutra narratives as people shared their experiences. The compilation of these accounts throughout the Tang attests to the strong presence of the Diamond Sutra cult. It not only indicates the allure of storytelling as a medium of communication, but also underscores the role played by social relations and interactions in religious culture. This study thus focuses on how people and communities might have conceived of the sutra and devoted themselves to it, and the effects of the cult on medieval Chinese religiosity. Diamond Sutra tales reveal how the experiences recounted therein were conceived as proofs of the efficacy of the sutra, bearing a particular significance to the protagonists and answering the concerns of medieval Chinese, as illustrated by the major themes, motifs, and ideas of the tales. Geared toward propagating the sutra, the tales determined attitudes, beliefs, and Buddhist practices of medieval Chinese by framing their conception of and engagement with the Diamond Sutra, and thus shaped Chinese religiosity. As they bear witness to the cult of the Diamond Sutra, these narratives also constitute part of a history of the religious life of people, and of Buddhism on the ground in Tang China. Additionally, these tales indicate the transition that took place in the religious landscape between Six Dynasties and the Tang, especially how Buddhism evolved and became part of the social fabric of China. Unlike the apologetic concerns of earlier tales, these narratives reflect a period in which Buddhism had permeated medieval Chinese society, and portray lay devotees of the Diamond Sutra as empowered practitioners who experienced the efficacy of the sutra and gained access to wonders and powers traditionally associated with the monastic. This lay confidence is discernible from the writings of the tale compilers, who assumed responsibility for propagating Buddhism and articulated their understanding of the religion as they created the lore of the sutra. The empowerment of the laity is further illustrated by the autonomy with which lay Buddhists modified, produced and distributed religious texts of the Diamond Sutra, which even prompted the monastic establishment to accommodate itself to the changes they brought about.
Download or read book The Diamond Sutra written by Frances Wood and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Describes the book produced in AD 868 and found in 1907; describes the physical object and recent conservation work; places the sutra in the history of Chinese printing and paper making.
Download or read book The Diamond Sutra written by Red Pine and published by Catapult. This book was released on 2009-03-01 with total page 440 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A masterful translation of the Diamond Sutra—with insightful commentary and helpful historical information for parsing this essential Zen Buddhist scripture Zen Buddhism is often said to be a practice of mind–to–mind transmission without reliance on texts—in fact, some great teachers forbid their students to read or write. But Buddhism has also inspired some of the greatest philosophical writings of any religion, and two such works lie at the center of Zen: The Heart Sutra, which monks recite all over the world, and The Diamond Sutra, said to contain answers to all questions of delusion and dualism. This is the Buddhist teaching on the perfection of wisdom and cuts through all obstacles on the path of practice. As Red Pine explains: The Diamond Sutra may look like a book, but it’s really the body of the Buddha. It’s also your body, my body, all possible bodies. But it’s a body with nothing inside and nothing outside. It doesn’t exist in space or time. Nor is it a construct of the mind. It’s no mind. And yet because it’s no mind, it has room for compassion. This book is the offering of no mind, born of compassion for all suffering beings. Of all the sutras that teach this teaching, this is the diamond.
Download or read book The Diamond Sutra and The Sutra of Hui neng written by and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2005-11-08 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Two classic Zen Buddhist texts that present the foundational teachings of the tradition—now collected in one volume for the modern practitioner The Diamond Sutra, composed in India in the fourth century CE, is one of the most treasured works of Buddhist literature and is the oldest existing printed book in the world. It is known as the Diamond Sutra because its teachings are said to be like diamonds that cut away all dualistic thought, releasing one from the attachment to objects and bringing one to the further shore of enlightenment. The format of this important sutra is presented as a conversation between the Buddha and one of his disciples. The Sutra of Hui-neng, also known as the Platform Sutra, contains the autobiography of a pivotal figure in Zen history and some of the most profound passages of Zen literature. Hui-neng (638–713) was the sixth patriarch of Zen in China but is often regarded as the true father of the Zen tradition. He was a poor, illiterate woodcutter who is said to have attained enlightenment upon hearing a recitation of the Diamond Sutra. Together, these two scriptures present the central teaching of the Zen Buddhist tradition and are essential reading for all students of Buddhism.
Download or read book The Stories of the Lotus Sutra written by Gene Reeves and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2010-11 with total page 386 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The Lotus Sutra" is one of the world's great religious scriptures and most influential texts. It has been a seminal work in the development of Buddhism throughout East Asia and, by extension in the development of Mahayana Buddhism throughout the world. Taking place in a vast and fantastical cosmic setting, the Lotus Sutra places emphasis on skillfully doing whatever is needed to serve and compassionately care for others, on breaking down sharp distinctions between the ideals of the fully enlightened buddha and the bodhisattva who vows to postpone personal salvation until all beings may share it together, and especially on each and every being's innate capacity to become a buddha.
Download or read book The Diamond Sutra written by and published by . This book was released on 1913 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book More Stories of Thien written by Hue Can and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 140 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Diamond Sutra written by Mu Soeng and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2011-03-17 with total page 195 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this brilliant new translation and commentary on The Diamond Sutra--one of the sublime wisdom teachings of Mahayana Buddhism--Mu Soeng integrates this ancient wisdom teaching with current scientific and psychological thought. His clear and readable commentary traces the connections between these teachings and contemporary theories of quantum reality, explores the sutra within the framework of Buddhist meditation practices, and provides a comprehensive historical survey of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition. Mu Soeng's goal throughout is to reveal the inspiration and wisdom of The Diamond Sutra to today's reader in an accessible, engaging, and modern manner.
Download or read book The Diamond Sutra in Chinese Culture written by Yongyou and published by Buddha's Light Publishing. This book was released on 2010 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In The Diamond Sutra in Chinese Culture, Venerable Yong You examines the varied history of the Diamond Sutra and its profound effect upon Chinese Buddhism, as well as its wide-ranging impact on Chinese religion, culture, art, literature, folklore, and technology. Beginning from the introduction of the Diamond Sutra in China until the Song dynasty, Venerable Yong You delves deeply into the Dunhuang collections, comprised of the oldest Chinese Buddhist manuscripts in the world, to offer insightful new research and a compelling perspective on the influence of this very important text.
Download or read book Text as Father written by Alan Cole and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2005-08-29 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Alan Cole sheds new light on the origin & nature of Mahāyāna Buddhism with close readings of four well-known texts: the Lotus Sūtra, Diamond Sūtra, Tathāgatagarbha Sūtra, & Vimalakīrtinirdeśa.
Download or read book Sutra of the Wise and the Foolish written by and published by Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. This book was released on 2006-01-01 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the great treasures of Buddhist literature, is mDo-mdzangs-blun or the Sutra of the Wise and the Foolish as it is known to the Mongols. The text was translated to Mongolian from Tibetan as the Üliger-ün Dalai or Ocean of Narratives. It is one of the most interesting, enjoyable and readable Buddhist scriptures. For centuries, it has been an inexhaustible source of inspiration, instruction and pleasure for all who have been able to read it. The history of this unusual scripture is still uncertain. Legend has it that the tales were heard in Khotan by Chinese monks, who translated them (but from what language?) into Chinese, from which it was translated into Tibetan, then into Mongolian and Oirat. The Narratives are Jatakas, or rebirth stories, tracing the causes of present tragedy in human lives to events which took place in former lifetimes. The theme of each narrative is the same: the tragedy of the human condition, the reason for this tragedy and the possibility of transcending it. But unlike Greek tragedy, Buddhist tragedy is never an end in itself, i.e. a catharsis, but a call to transcend that which can be transcended and need not be endlessly endured. The people we meet in the Sutra of the Wise and the Foolish, although supposedly living in the India of the Buddha’s time, might also be living at present in New York City, a small rural town or Leningrad, and the problems they face are the same problems that men have had to face always and everywhere. Herein lies the timeless appeal of this profound Buddhist scripture.
Download or read book The Diamond Sutra Chin kang ching written by and published by . This book was released on 1912 with total page 158 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Miracles of Book and Body written by Charlotte Eubanks and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2011 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This is an exciting exploration of the world of Buddhist attitudes towards religious texts, from Indian scriptures to Japanese medieval tales. Its emphasis on discursive strategies—how Buddhist texts function and what they expect of their readers/users (especially, the connection between books, their content, and their readers' bodies)—is a welcome new perspective."—Fabio Rambelli, author of Buddhist Materiality "Miracles of Book and Body is fluidly written and engaging. This book brings the reader to an awareness of the range and foci of medieval 'popular' readings of sutra literature, and Eubanks provides an important perspective to interpreting these narratives that is original and stimulating."—Thomas W. Hare, author of Zeami: Performance Notes "Charlotte Eubanks' sophisticated, insightful and readable study of the physicalities of sutra texts and sutra recitation makes sense of some of the strangest phenomena in medieval Japan. By disentangling the literal and metaphorical meanings in Buddhist setsuwa, Eubanks explains such things as how memorizing a text is an embodiment thereof, how texts can become sentient beings, and why the scroll is an appropriate format for recording dharma. Her work is both important and engaging."—Margaret H. Childs, University of Kansas "Drawing on an impressive range of Mahayana scriptures and medieval Japanese didactic tales, Eubanks unpacks recurrent tropes correlating text and flesh to reveal surprising connections among the literary, material, and ritual dimensions of Buddhist textual culture. Elegantly written and theoretically astute, this volume will be welcomed not only by specialists in Buddhist literature but also by readers interested in broader issues of text-based religious practice."—Jacqueline Stone, author of Original Enlightenment and the Transformation of Medieval Japanese Buddhism
Download or read book A River Sutra written by Gita Mehta and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2011-02-23 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With imaginative lushness and narrative elan, Mehta provides a novel that combines Indian storytelling with thoroughly modern perceptions into the nature of love--love both carnal and sublime, treacherous and redeeming. "Conveys a world that is spiritual, foreign, and entirely accessible."--Vanity Fair. Reading tour.
Download or read book Describing the Indescribable written by Hsing Yun and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2016-07-05 with total page 195 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Diamond Sutra is revered throughout Asia as one of the Buddha's most profound expressions of the nature of reality. A gem among the vast Perfection of Wisdom literature, the Diamond Sutra elicits an experience of eternal truth through its use of a seemingly paradoxical style, as the reader goes back and forth between "what is" and "what is not." Master Hsing Yun skillfully plumbs the depths of the Diamond Sutra, illuminating for us its power to change who we are and how we interpret our world.
Download or read book Dunhuang Manuscript Culture written by Imre Galambos and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2020-12-07 with total page 327 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Dunhuang Manuscript Culture” explores the world of Chinese manuscripts from ninth-tenth century Dunhuang, an oasis city along the network of pre-modern routes known today collectively as the Silk Roads. The manuscripts have been discovered in 1900 in a sealed-off side-chamber of a Buddhist cave temple, where they had lain undisturbed for for almost nine hundred years. The discovery comprised tens of thousands of texts, written in over twenty different languages and scripts, including Chinese, Tibetan, Old Uighur, Khotanese, Sogdian and Sanskrit. This study centres around four groups of manuscripts from the mid-ninth to the late tenth centuries, a period when the region was an independent kingdom ruled by local families. The central argument is that the manuscripts attest to the unique cultural diversity of the region during this period, exhibiting—alongside obvious Chinese elements—the heavy influence of Central Asian cultures. As a result, it was much less ‘Chinese’ than commonly portrayed in modern scholarship. The book makes a contribution to the study of cultural and linguistic interaction along the Silk Roads.
